My Biggest Boss Move(s)
- Oct 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 27
By Jaci Russo, PCM
Over the past 25 years, as founder and CEO of brandRUSSO, I’ve made more than a few “boss moves”, but the most transformative have always combined calculated risk with a clear long-term vision.
In 2001, I was eight months pregnant when I launched my business as a solopreneur. My model was simple but ambitious: go door to door offering fractional marketing director services to small local businesses. There was no safety net, just my expertise, my network, and my belief that companies of any size deserved strategic branding they could actually use. From the outside, it looked like terrible timing. From my perspective, it was the right moment to build something that could support my family and my future. That leap taught me to trust my instincts even when conventional wisdom said otherwise.
Six months later, demand forced my next big decision: hire my first employees, lease an office, and expand into a full-service agency. That meant payroll, overhead, and moving from a one-woman operation to a team-based business. The risk was clear: more expenses and responsibility, but so was the reward. Expanding our services allowed us to serve clients more holistically, win bigger accounts, and create a scalable model.
By year three, we had 12 employees and the chance to purchase an 8,000+ square foot building in Downtown Lafayette. This wasn’t just about real estate; it was a strategic brand investment. I gutted the space and redesigned it as a creative, collaborative environment that reflected our culture and positioned us as a serious contender in the regional market. It became both a recruitment tool for top talent and a signal to high-value clients that we were in it for the long haul.
But perhaps the most defining Boss move hasn’t been a single event; it’s been the commitment to constant evolution. The marketing and advertising industry has undergone multiple transformations since 2001, including the rise of digital ads, the explosion of social media, and the advent of AI. At each stage, I made a conscious choice not to resist change, but to integrate it into our strategy. That adaptability has enabled us to remain relevant and competitive, even as the rules of the game continue to shift.
Some of our most innovative offerings have come from this willingness to evolve. Two standouts are the Women’s Summit at Sea, a conference by women and for women, held aboard a Royal Caribbean ship, and the She’s So Bossy podcast, which features the 1.9% of women founders who have built companies generating at least $1M in annual revenue. These initiatives aren’t side projects; they’re part of our core mission to empower other women leaders. The measurable impact has been clear: equipping hundreds of leaders with actionable growth strategies and stories that inspire and inform.
If I had to define my single biggest boss move, it would be this: refusing to view success as a single event or a solo journey. From hiring my first employee to creating platforms that elevate other entrepreneurs, my decisions have always been about building something bigger than myself. That mindset - to lead, to share, and to keep moving forward - has transformed my career, my company, and the impact I get to make every day.
Connect With Jaci
Socials: @brandrusso @jacirusso
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